XXXIX. 1825. that not merely the moral influence of the British in CHAP. India, but the maintenance of their dominion in it was dependent. LORD COMBERMERE, formerly Sir Stapleton Cotton, so well known as a gallant and successful cavalry officer under Wellington in Spain, who had succeeded Sir Edward Paget as commander-in-chief in India, took the command in person of the force advancing against Bhurtpore, which consisted of 21,000 men, including two European regiments of cavalry and five of infantry, with an immense train of 100 pieces of siege artillery, which extended on the line of march, with the reserve parks, to fifteen miles. On approaching Bhurtpore with this formidable force, Lord Combermere, with great humanity, addressed two several communications to Doorjun Saul, offering a safe conduct and safe passage through his camp to the whole women and children in the fortress, which the rajah declined, actuated 1 Martin, by the Oriental jealousy of any interference with women, 427; Thornand dreading the same duplicity in his enemies of which 157. he was conscious in himself.1 ton, v. 154 ment and The former siege, unsuccessfully undertaken by Lord 82. Lake, had demonstrated that the strength of Bhurtpore Commenceconsisted mainly in its mud walls of tenacious clay, which difficulties neither splintered nor crumbled under the stroke of the of the siege. bullet, and in which missiles of the heaviest description sunk without any serious injury to the works. So formidable had these difficulties been, that repeated assaults of the British had been repulsed with extraordinary loss from the fire of the defences not having been silenced, and the breaches not sufficiently cleared when the attacks were made. So elated had the natives been with this successful defence, that they built a bastion, which they called the "Bastion of Victory," and which they vauntingly declared was formed of the blood and bones of Englishmen. The garrison now consisted of 20,000 men, and 146 guns were mounted on the ramparts. The numbers of the enemy were less formidable than their spirit, for they were composed of Rajpoots and Affghans, CHAP. the most warlike and courageous in India, and they were XXXIX. fully convinced that their fortress would prove impregna1825. ble, as it had withstood the assaults of Lord Lake. Siege of The siege was looked to with the most intense interest from 1 Crichton's every part of India, not only from the great amount of treasure which had been brought there as a secure place of deposit from every part of the country, but from the belief generally entertained that it was never destined to 426, 427. be taken, and that against its ramparts the tide of British invasion would beat in vain.1 150-152; Thornton, v. 156; Martin, 83. the siege. Notwithstanding the warning given by the former Progress of siege, it was determined to proceed by the ordinary method of approaches by sap, and finally breaching the rampart from the edge of the counterscarp. A sally of 200 horse having been repulsed with heavy loss on the 27th December, and the trenches armed, the advanced batteries opened on the 28th December, and by the 4th January they had produced a visible effect, though so inconsiderable as to suggest doubts with regard to the chances of success by that mode of attack. Fortunately, the commander-in-chief now adopted the suggestions of Major-general Galloway, an officer of great talent and experience in the warfare against mud forts, and Lieut. Forbes of the Engineers, a young officer of uncommon energy and genius,* and resolved to prosecute the siege by means of mines. Under the direction of these skilful engineers, the communication between the wet ditches of the fortress and the tank from which they were supplied was cut off, and the moat having been rendered * Lieut. William Forbes of the Bengal Engineers, whose great skill in the conduct of the mines was of such service in the siege of Bhurtpore, was the fifth son of John Forbes, Esq. of Blackford in Aberdeenshire, and a lineal descendant by his mother, Miss Gregory, of the eminent James Gregory, the discoverer of the Gregorian telescope and of fluxions, at the same time with Leibnitz and Sir Isaac Newton. He inherited all the mechanical and mathematical genius of his ancestor, and having embraced the profession of arms in India, his talents procured for him at Addiscombe an engineer's appointment, and caused him to be intrusted when he went to the East with the construction, and subsequently with the government, of the mint at Calcutta. The Author has a melancholy pleasure in bearing this testimony to the talents and worth of a highly esteemed relative and early friend, now, like so many others, fallen a victim to the climate of India. XXXIX. 1826. nearly dry, mines were run under it, and one sprung CHAP. early on the morning of the 7th, though without much effect. A second attempt was made with no better suc- Jan. 6. cess, the enemy having discovered what was going on, Jan. 8. and countermined before any material progress had been made. On the same day an accidental shot from the ramparts set fire to a tumbril, exploded a magazine, and 20,000 pounds of powder were destroyed. Notwithstanding this disaster, the approaches of the besiegers steadily continued, and on the 16th two mines were exploded Jan. 16. under one of the bastions with such effect that a large chasm was made in the rampart. To it accordingly the whole fire of the breaching batteries within reach was Jan. 17. directed, and with such effect, that before nightfall it as well as another breach were declared practicable, and daybreak on the following morning was appointed for the assault. The attack was to be made in two columns, one headed by General Nicolls with the 59th, another Ann. Reg. by General Reynell with the 14th. The explosion of a 222; Thornmine charged with 10,000 pounds of powder, which had been run under the north-eastern angle of the bastion, 427. was to be the signal for the assault.1 1 1826,221, ton, v. 156, 157; Mar tin, 426, the place. At eight on the morning of the 18th the mine was 84. sprung, and with terrific effect. The whole of the salient Assault of angle, and part of the stone cavalier in the rear, were Jan. 18. lifted in a mass into the air, and fell again with a frightful crash, which caused the earth to quake for miles around, while the air was involved in total darkness from the prodigious volumes of stones and dust which were thrown up as from the crater of a volcano in every direction. Owing to the violence of the explosion, and its having burst in some degree in an unexpected direction, several of the leading files in the front of the stormers were killed or wounded by the fall of the stones, a momentary pause took place in the advance, and Lord Combermere himself, who was far forward, made a narrow escape with his life, two sepoys being killed only two feet in front of him. General Reynell, however, gave XXXIX. 1826. CHAP. the word "Forward," and, putting himself at their head, the whole rushed forward over the ruins with such vigour that in a few minutes the breach was carried amidst shouts from the whole army, which were heard above all the roar of the artillery. The left breach, which was attacked by General Nicolls, was more difficult of access, both from the slope being much steeper and the opening not so entire. Notwithstanding all their valour, the 59th regiment, which headed the storm, was obliged for a few minutes to pause near the summit, and a desperate handto-hand contest ensued with the enemy, who defended the pass with unconquerable resolution. At length, the explosion of the mine having swept away three hundred of the defenders, and a loud cheer from the rear encouraged the assailants, a sudden rush was made and the breach was carried. The besieged, however, retreated slowly along the ramparts, and turned every gun to which they came on the pursuers; but the latter charged on with invincible vigour, upset or spiked the guns as they were successively carried, and at length, amidst loud cheers, united with General Nicolls' division above the Kombhur gate. 1826,222, Bhurtpore was taken; the bulwark of Hindostan had ton, v. 158, fallen; Lord Lake's memory was revenged, and the halo of invincibility had again settled round the brows of the victors.1 1 Ann. Reg. 223; Thorn 159; Mar tin, 427. The immediate consequences of this victory were as decisive as the triumph itself. The citadel surrendered this victory, early in the afternoon of the same day; and Doorjun 85. Decisive results of Saul, who at the head of a hundred and sixty chosen horse had attempted to force his way through the besiegers' lines, was intercepted by the able dispositions of General Sleigh, who commanded the cavalry, and made prisoner. All the other fortresses immediately surrendered, and the young rajah, the rightful heir, was seated on the throne, though under the protection of a British resident, in whom the powers of government were substantially vested. The fortifications were immediately destroyed, the principal bastions blown up, and XXXIX. 1826. part of the curtain demolished. Among them was the CHAP. "Bastion of Victory," built, as they boasted, of the blood and bones of the English soldiers; and this was done by some of the very men who had been engaged in the former siege. These successes were not gained without a considerable loss to the victors, of whom 600 fell in the assault; but this was little compared to the carnage among the besieged, of whom 4000 were lost on that disastrous day. Lord Combermere was deservedly made 1826, 222, a viscount for his able conduct of this brilliant siege, ton, v. 163, and Lord Amherst had recently before been advanced a tin, 427. step in the peerage.1 1 Ann. Reg. 223; Thorn 169; Mar of Singa Straits of The only other event of general importance which oc- 86. curred during Lord Amherst's administration was the Acquisition acquisition of Malacca, Singapore, and the Dutch posses- pore, in the sions on the continent of India, which in 1824 were Malacca. ceded to the British Government by the King of the 1824. Netherlands, in exchange for the British settlement of Bencoolen, in the island of Sumatra. The situation of Singapore at the entrance of the Straits of Malacca, eminently favourable for commerce, had led to an English factory being established there before it was formally ceded to our Government; and as soon as this was done, a treaty was concluded with the native princes, which Aug. 2. further facilitated our growing commercial intercourse with these distant eastern regions. In December 1826 a 1826. treaty with the Rajah of Nagpore was also concluded, eminently favourable to British influence in India. Lord Amherst returned to England in March 1828, and was v. 170, 173; succeeded ad interim by Mr Butterworth Bayley, the 427. senior member of the Council, in the duties of government.2 Dec. 17, Thornton, Martin, |